The Little Girl
by Stompy1014
Summary: A lonely man saves a little girl searching for her Mother. He promises to get her reunited with her. However he is a man who has been alone for a long time, wants solitude and to be alone. What he find instead is family, friendship and healing. However does he stay or go as soon as trouble starts.
1. Chapter 1

_Hi guys, here's another idea for a story that just won't leave me alone till I write it down. Honest opinions but if you do review or criticise than do it in a nice way please. Constructive criticism only. And the more people that like and review always means new chapters. As of now I'm not quite sure how many chapters it will be, so watch out!_

Chapter 1- Rescue

He walked through the forest, keeping his weapon raised. His steps were silent as he hunted his prey. Crouching he looked down at the tracks in front of him. They seemed to be deer tracks. _Good_ he thought, _I'll eat well tonight._

"Not too far ahead." He said to himself knowing he was alone.

A few hours later he ground to a halt. The tracks had disappeared. "There goes my dinner. Sonofabitch!" He said kicking a tree in the process. He then crouched down with his head in his hand. "Now what do I do?!"

After a moment he got to his feet realizing he still had a few hours of daylight left to find something else. He was about to head on when a terrified scream reached his ears.

"Help me somebody please. Mr Grimes!" He could tell just from the voice that it was a little girl. Rushing towards the screams his heart jumping into his mouth. All he kept repeating to himself. _It's not happening again._

Running towards the opening he finally saw the little girl backing away from two zombies, they were a little too close for comfort.

"Hey fugles! Come and get it." He shouted making kissing sounds. He put down his weapon and reached for his buck knife. He liked to get close and dirty, best way to fight at least for him. He was starting to enjoy this, the adrenaline already pumping through his body. He walked forward like a predator hunting/stalking his prey. He waited till the last second, until he could smell death. Striking like a snake he grabbed one of zombies by the hair and kicked the other one down to the ground. He then proceeded to finish them both of quickly. Wiping his knife on torn jeans, he finally looked at the little girl in front of him.

"I ain't going to hurt you girlie." He said looking her over. She was dirty, frighten and bleeding.

"You bit?"

She shook her head and pulled the sleeve on her t-shirt up, the poor girl looked like she'd had a fight with some bushes and lost.

"Damn girl did you actually fight back." He joked and was pleased to see her smirk right back at him. "You okay?

Again she nodded.

"What are you doing out here by yourself? Where ya'll parents?"

"I got separated from my group." She said quietly. Hugging her doll to her. "I lost them on the highway. Mr Grimes told me to stay in the creek but two of those things found me. I had to run. I had too. Now I don't know where I am. I want my Mama."

He saw the little girl start to tear up at the thought of your Mama. "Hey it's okay. I'm here and I sure ain't going to leave a little girl here all by herself. You got that." She nodded.

"Thank you for saving me."

"Your quite welcome little lady. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I had left you to be eaten now would I? As long as you okay. That's the most important thing. Now do you know what direction you came from?"

She shook her head grabbing her doll even tighter. "I came from the creek."

"Well you're in luck, as I know someone who can track and get you back to your mama real soon." He said smiling to the little girl.

"You?"

"That's right girlie. Right first thing is first. What's your name as I can't keep calling you girlie now can I!"

"My name's Sophia and I'm 11 years old."

"Well Sophia that's a mighty pretty name. I'm Tyler. Nice to meet you Ma'am." He stuck his hand out for her to take. She smiled and accepted she didn't know why but she trusted this man. He felt safe and could protect her. He pulled Sophia to her feet. "Let's go find your Mama.

Tyler and Sophia got back to the creek just before sun down. He found some footprints that they could hopefully follow tomorrow that would lead them back to the highway. For now he promised to watch over Sophia while she got some rest. Tyler sat there by the little fire he had lit thinking about meeting Sophia's group. She had made him promise to meet her Mama and of course the rest of the group. He hadn't asked any question and the thought of meeting a group terrified him. He could survive by himself, hunt, scavenge and pretty much care for himself. He didn't need a group, to hell with the other people they only dragged you down and got you killed. He had learnt that the hard way.

But somehow this little girl had tugged at his heart string, he had saved her after all, could have just left her for dead. But she had reminded him of…. _No!_ He shook his head. _We are not thinking about that. Not tonight. Stay alert._ He nodded to himself. He had buried those feelings years ago. It's the only decent lesson he had learnt from his Father. Feelings made you weak. However it was those feelings that saved Sophia. And to be true to himself he made him feel good, human again. With determination he vowed he would get Sophia back to her Mama or die trying. With that he dowsed the fire and continued his watch.

 **Five Years ago- Memory**

" _Agatha, please I have to do this. It's her only shot."_

" _Tyler, I will not go against Adrianna's wishes. She doesn't want this anymore. Can't you see that?"_

" _God Agatha she's only 10. How…what….what am I supposed to do without my little girl. No parent should have to go through this."_

 _Agatha turned facing the man before her. Tears streaking her face. "No they shouldn't but this is what hand life has dealt for her. God has chosen her for a reason….."_

" _Cut the shit Agatha, I don't believe in that…do sprout bullshit that I won't listen to. If there's a god why is he taking her? Bringing her pain, bringing her d..death." Tyler chocked out. "Please Agatha leave me alone. Leave me to be with my daughter."_

 _She nodded and left the room, leaving Father and Daughter together. She noticed the little girl on the bed had a smile on her face reaching for her Dad._

" _Hey peanut. How you doing today?"_

" _I heard your arguing with Mrs Agatha, she's a very nice lady Papa, you should treat her right." Adrianna scowled at her Papa with her arms folded. "It's my choice Papa, please accept that. I know I'm only little but I think I've been through more than enough."_

 _Tyler was trying very hard not to cry. "You're asking the most impossible thing of me. Stopping your treatment, letting you die…"_

" _Papa, I'll be dying in peace and happy."_

" _Oh baby girl….."_

" _I've been dying for the past 5 year's papa. We just didn't know it then. I…I'm tired Papa…I'm so very tired."_

" _I no baby girl, why don't you get some sleep. I'll be here when you wake up." He said tucking her in and giving her a kiss on the forehead. "Love you like a million chocolate m &m's."_

" _Love you like a million stars in the sky."_

 _Tyler smiled watching over Adrianna as she slept. Agatha stepped back into the room to take some vitals._

" _She's right. Stop the treatment. Then I want to take her home where she belongs."_

 _Agatha nodded and left the room. Making sure she had left Tyler let go of his emotions and quickly sobbed for the life his little girl would never see._

Tyler startled awake, not knowing what had woken him he looked around at his surroundings. Noticing the sun rise and that Sophia had yet to wake he went over to her.

"Hey Sophia, wake up! Let's go find your Mama." He heard an answering groan and chuckled to himself. By the time they were both sorted and ready to move of the sun was high in the sky.

"Come on kid, day light is a burning." She smiled at him and grabbed his hand in hers. He looked down at her and then their joining hands, feeling his heart thaw a bit.

Together they followed the footprints that Tyler had spotted last night. Hoping to find Sophia's group before nightfall.

 _So that's Chapter 1 and I had so much fun writing that. Hope you all enjoyed. Remember reviews get more chapters._

 _Thanks ya'll._


	2. Chapter 2

_Hi guys sorry for the extremely long wait for this chapter, a lot has been happening lately and trying to keep up to date with my studies. I'm so happy with all the interest I've received in this story so without further ado here's the new chapter. Enjoy._

Chapter 2- Memories

Daryl sighed as he lay back in his tent relaxing. Another day of searching for the little girl. Sophia had left no tracks in fact there was no sign of her at all, it was like she had just disappeared. And on top of that Grime's little boy had been shot; luckily he had pulled through with the help of Hershel and Shane. He didn't think the group could have handled losing another child. Sophia rested heavily on his mind, especially since she had grown up just like him. However he had had someone to fight for. No-one knew about his kid brother, hell he hadn't seen him in years. Not since he had been taking in by the system.

Daryl had been 9 years old when his younger brother had been brought in this world. Unfortunately their Mother had died giving birth to his brother. Tyler had been on Merle's and their Father's hit list since he was an hour old. He couldn't off hurt the little tyke even If he had wanted to. In the beginning he had resented Tyler, but he couldn't blame him for his Mother's death. It had all been down to Natural Causes and also down to the beatings she would off took of her husband.

So he had become the kids Father, Mother and brother. He fed him, clothed him and loved him. Tyler was the only thing that kept him sane and out of trouble for a while. Unfortunately their dad had died when he was 17, Merle had just turned 22 and Tyler was only 8 years old. No matter how much he begged Merle to let Tyler stay with them he was adamant that his Mother's killer wouldn't live under the same roof as him. Daryl had turned to fight the system but with no job, and no house and no income his younger brother was chartered off into the system.

He had kept in touch as much as he was able, but with Merle breathing down his neck it hadn't been much and the visitation rights had been withdrawn with having a record …(again through Merle.) In the end they had asked him in a polite manner to Fuck off. To this day he hadn't seen his younger brother in 20 years. Something he regretted to this day. Tyler would be 28 or 29 years old.

"Boy…I've missed a hell of a lot." He said to himself.

"Daryl you in there?" He groaned.

"Ya! Ya'll want me?"

"I'm showing Hershel and his family the area where we last had evidence of Sophia. We could use your input with the surrounding area."

"Alright. I'ma coming. Give me two minutes."

' _These people'_ he thought. ' _Don't know what they're doing. Might as well go myself. Could search quicker- oh well back to business._

With that he got up armed with his crossbow.

"Run Sophia! Don't look back!" Tyler shouted.

He held on to the little girls hand as tight as he could, running for their lives. The horde had come out of no-where. One second they were both gathering up their stuff after sleeping rough for the most part. Tyler had heard a few of the walkers coming towards them and had had his knife out in front of him, with Sophia behind him. Suddenly he wasn't just hearing them, he was seeing them. And there were too many to fight against especially now that he had Sophia to look out for. So they ran.

His heart was beating a tempo in his chest. Walkers had never bothered him before, yes they can kill him and sometimes he had thought about just letting them get him. But his thoughts turned to Sophia, the little girl he had vowed to protect. He had to save her, return her to her Mother. That's what scared him, terrified him even. He couldn't lose another little girl his sanity couldn't take it.

As he was lost in his thoughts he didn't notice Sophia studying him. She wondered what he was thinking about but it was distressing him. So she wrenched herself out of his grip, she couldn't run anymore. They had also lost the horde awhile back. Tyler turned around after feeling Sophia draw away from him.

"Sophia?"

"Sorry. I'm tired." She said bending over trying to breathe through the stitch she had. "You okay?"

"Ya. I'm good. Just got lost in thought a minute there. Shall we have a little break?"

Sophia nodded and grinned at him. "Okay." With that she collapsed to the ground looking up at the sky.

It took Sophia and Tyler another day to get near to the highway. Tyler had gotten them lost although he blamed it on the sunlight. Sophia had a good giggle at his plight. But they had eventually found the river where Mr. Grimes had told her to stay. She had had to move once the walkers had seen her. After what had felt like hours she had run into Tyler. He had saved her life in more way than one.

"Tyler have you got any family?" She asked, Sophia had taken a little break near the river while Tyler was trying to find any tracks.

"Nah Kid….my Mother died and I was then put into foster care. Had a wife and a little girl. My little girl died a while back. She was real sick, the docs couldn't save her. Unfortunately she'd had enough. My wife left me just after out little girl got sick. Think it was too hard for her you no. And I don't think she wanted to be a Mum to begin with. But I was okay with that. But my little girl is in a better place now. Better than this world. But me and you kid….we're fighters. We won't give up without a fight…right?"

"Yes we are! Tyler are you going to stay with us? With my group? They'd like you I just know it."

Tyler looked at the little girl beside him. How could he tell her that when he had gotten her back to her Mother, he was just going to split- cut and run. The group he had been with before sad to say they weren't the nice sort. He had thankfully left before he had had to do something to get out of there. To this day he wished he'd killed them or done something about them. Maybe's he'd met them again to hand out a bit of payback. The things he had seen them do to people, he wouldn't have done to an animal.

"Let's just see what happens when we get there kid. You're group might not even want little old me to join them. But we need to find them first kiddo. Now where did you say you came from, before that Mr. Grimes found you?"

Sophia pointed to a gap in the trees just opposite the river.

"That's where Mr. Grimes came from and then he put me in the river. Should we go up there?" She finished and started to walk forward.

"Soph..I'll go first okay" Tyler said grabbed her arm to pull her back. "We don't know what's behind those bushes. Stay behind me." He warned her.

Sophia nodded her apology and grabbed the back of his shirt. Tyler brought the crossbow up and had his finger on the trigger just in case. Before he could get any further he heard voices. Beckoning Sophia to his side he whispered to her. "Do you recognize any of those voices?"

He watched her face, taking in all her expression. As soon as the fear came into her face he started to back them both up.

"Soph?"

"No I don't know them. They aren't part of my group. Tyler they're getting closer. What do we do?"

Tyler cursed softly and looked around him. Suddenly and idea came to him. "Use the trees. Come of Sophia up the tree you go. They won't look for you there." He said pushing her to the nearest tree.

"Where are you going to go? Don't leave me Tyler."

"I'm not going to girly. Just trust me. Okay. Now git up that tree and don't move or come down till I tell you too okay."

Sophia nodded and scrambled as quickly as she could up the tree. Tyler noticing that she was up there started making a much noise as he could. Trying to draw the people to him. He walked towards the voices stumbling and cursing. It seemed to work as he was on the receiving end of a shot gun, pointing towards his face. Tyler started to back up revealing the person holding the gun to his face.

"Nice to see you again Tyler?"

 _Hmm wonder who this guy is….._

 _Nice little cliff hanger to finish on. Don't worry I will be updating soon. But reviews make the process quicker. Hope you've enjoy the chapter. Thanks for all the support guys. I'm enjoying writing this story, so many directions it could go in._


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